The most thrilling Derby d’Italia in history played out at San Siro, as Inter surged into a 4-2 lead only to be clawed back by a brace from Kenan Yildiz for 4-4.
The Nerazzurri injury crisis intensified midweek losing Carlos Augusto, joining Hakan Calhanoglu, Francesco Acerbi and Tajon Buchanan on the treatment table, so Piotr Zielinski was chosen as playmaker. Juve lost to VfB Stuttgart midweek, as Douglas Luiz entered the absentee list with Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, Gleison Bremer and Arek Milik. However, Francisco Conceicao returned from suspension and Weston McKennie shook off a muscular issue, sending Kenan Yildiz to the bench for only the second time this season with Khephren Thuram.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
Inter broke the deadlock with the first chance, as Benjamin Pavard burst down the right and pulled back from the by-line for Marcus Thuram, who got to the ball before Danilo, the attempted clearance instead kicking his ankle. The referee pointed to the spot and Zielinski stepped up to convert, celebrating his first Serie A start for the club.
The advantage lasted barely five minutes, as Juan Cabal floated a ball over the top that McKennie cushioned down and across for Dusan Vlahovic to side-foot home on the bounce from five yards. Remarkably, it was the first goal that the Serbian had ever scored at San Siro.
Juve turned it around completely, because Francisco Conceicao left Henrikh Mkhitaryan standing with a dummy down the right and rolled across for Weah to simply redirect it from point-blank range.
Conceicao also forced a save out of Yann Sommer at the near post, but Inter equalised when Mkhitaryan made up for the earlier error by completing a give and go with Thuram to burst into the area and drilling through a sea of legs into the bottom corner.
Incredibly, moments later Pierre Kalulu mistimed his clearance to kick Dumfries in the back of the leg for another penalty, which Zielinski converted into the bottom corner despite grazing Di Gregorio’s fingertips.
It was very nearly 3-3 in first half stoppages, as Sommer was stranded when Weah’s curler skimmed the far top corner from the edge of the area.
Dumfries should’ve made it 4-2 straight after the restart, but hit a fresh-air shot when Di Gregorio parried a Federico Dimarco effort into his path. He made up for it moments later, as a corner was flicked towards the back post, where he controlled and placed the angled drive through Cabal’s legs to leave Di Gregorio stranded.
Dimarco’s screamer was palmed round the post by Di Gregorio, as the goalkeeper also flew to fingertip a deflected Nicolò Barella volley out from under the crossbar.
Lautaro Martinez’s header from a Dimarco corner skimmed the far post, but just as Inter seemed to be dominating, Juventus got back into the game.
McKennie’s pass sent substitute Kenan Yildiz on the counter, Dumfries backed off and he placed a precise angled drive into the far bottom corner for 4-3.
Yildiz could’ve got the equaliser on 80 minutes, firing over from 12 yards on an Andrea Cambiaso cross.
It was only a warning, as moments later he scored from a very similar move, this time taking a touch on the Conceicao floated cross before firing in at the back post.
Inter 4-4 Juventus
Zielinski pens 15, 37 (I), Vlahovic 20 (J), Weah 26 (J), Mkhitaryan 35 (I), Dumfries 53 (I), Yildiz 71, 82 (J)
Player statistic
Piotr Zielinski | 15' | |||
20' | Dusan Vlahovic (Assist: Weston McKennie) | |||
26' | Timothy Weah (Assist: Francisco Conceição) | |||
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Assist: Marcus Thuram) |
35' | |||
Piotr Zielinski | 37' |
52' | Danilo | |||
Denzel Dumfries | 53' | |||
Benjamin Pavard | 59' | |||
71' | Kenan Yıldız (Assist: Weston McKennie) | |||
Denzel Dumfries | 75' | |||
82' | Kenan Yıldız |